Leadership Philosophy
Cedric B. Stewart, Ed. D. 7702 Hurst Forest Drive ∙ Humble, Texas 77346 stdcbs18@shsu.edu ∙ 713/504-5577 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Tenets of Educational Leadership Philosophy 1. '' ''I believe that educational leadership in the 21st century must be a collaborative venture. My philosophy of effective educational leadership is initially prefaced on the tenet that the maintenance of organizational excellence through the implementation of organizational change is only possible through collaborative leadership practices. Although a single individual may possess the capacity and quite often is the catalyst for organizational sustainability or transformation, rarely are these individuals successful operating within a vacuum. Instead, these individuals who successfully proliferate educational leadership are generally organizational stewards who possess a dynamic skill set that allows them to create environments that foster and encourage individual motivation, growth, and success. In addition, these leaders generally operate from an agenda that perpetuates both multidisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary intellectual activities that are grounded in the intangible concepts of organizational values, vision, and team relationship development. 2. I believe that educational leadership in the 21st century must be built upon the foundations of uncompromising personal and professional integrity. The second tenet of effective leadership is that such individuals must continually operate from and sustain a position of uncompromising personal and professional integrity that permeates every aspect of their position. This is an especially truism when applied specifically to educational leaders in that school leaders must balance both their duties, roles, and responsibilities to the individual while maintaining and supporting the good of the at-large-community in which they exist. Effective educational leaders should constantly strive to perform their duties with the highest levels of personal and professional integrity that is coupled with equally high ethical standards that are the culmination of an internal driving force that is guided by an unwavering moral consciousness. 3. I believe that educational leadership in the 21st century must possess and exercise the capacity for responsive in a variety of environments. The third tenet of my philosophy of educational leadership is that effective educational leaders in this new and ever-changing technologically evolving diversified global community must possess and exercise the capacity for responsiveness to certainty as well as responsiveness for ambiguity. Although many leaders may be keenly aware of the challenges and obstacles that may await them as they attempt to lead organizations, far too often there are a plethora of unforeseen challenges that will arise to confront them that cannot be anticipated yet must be addressed. It is their responses to these unforeseen challenges that will often define how they and their leadership skills will ultimately be judged. It is usually through the discourse and manner of our actions as professionals in seeking solutions to organizational challenges that ultimately distinguishes great leaders from average leaders. 4. I believe that educational leadership in the 21st century must be based on the premise of inclusion for all and the facilitation of knowledge. '' '' My fourth tenet of successful educational leadership is that every safeguard must be undertaken by effective leaders to ensure that all students are provided every opportunity to reach and sustain their maximum potential. This belief is underscored and articulated by the initial premise that schools’ primary function should be to perpetuate the endless possibilities that exist for those for whom it was established and for whom it continues to exist. This facilitation of individual potential must be successfully navigated within an increasingly diverse and economically-stratified society with a common goal of preparing all learners to be successful in a variety of settings beyond those of simply the educational confines. Educational leaders in 21st century organizations must endeavor to promote and train leaders within their own respective organizations who will facilitate the inclusion of successful learning and participation for all students regardless of sex, color, national origin, social or economic class, disability, sexual orientation, or to any other category to which individuals may belong or be assigned and who understand that they, as a member of that organization, have a professional, legal, and moral obligation to do so in the discourse of their duties. ''5. I believe that although educational leadership in the 21st century has characteristics synonymous with art and skills, it can be informed and improved upon by both research and practice. '' '' '' In my fifth and final tenet of effective educational leadership, I propose rather than become ensnarled in the philosophical debate of the origins of the characteristics of effective leadership traits as being inherent (art) or learned (skill), that instead the focus of the discussion should be on the benefit to overall leadership abilities that theory, practices, and models can provide. The existing body of informative literature that represents the collective expertise of educational and organizational practitioners is phenomenal. Yet equally astounding is the number of educational administrators who are confronted on a daily basis with a myriad of issues that must be overcome in order for their organizations to become and sustain success, however, they continue to ignore the potential represented by the totality of this scientific research. Educational leaders must exhibit themselves as well as guide organizations to understand the role and value of the use of educational research through the integration of salient academic research that is grounded within the larger societal context of their respective institutions. In addition, effective educational leaders must move beyond theory to that of cooperative ventures in order to ensure that barriers between academic and practitioner communities are removed.